Green stuff Inside this edition:
Alternative fuel projects
garner state funding
page 2
Changing girls’ minds about math, page 3
History comes alive in prof’s mural, page 6
Home building program receives gift, page 7
Building bridges,
page 7
Aug. 13, 2007 • Vol. 16/No. 4
a publication for the Middle Tennessee State University community
AN EXTRAORDINARY SPEAKER
Convocation will
feature address
by Rwandan author
from Staff Reports
H
e calls himself an
“ordinary man,”
but author and
activist Paul Rusesabagina’s extraordinary
accomplishments will
bring him to MTSU
Sunday, Aug. 26, to
help mark the beginning of the 2007-08
academic year at the
University
Convocation.
Rusesabagina, a
native of Rwanda,
saved 1,268 of his
countrymen during
a 100-day siege of
genocidal madness in 1994 that
left nearly 1 million people
dead. The hotel
manager turned
the luxurious
Hotel Milles Collines into a
refuge for Tutsi and moder-
ate Hutus while fending off
their would-be killers with a
combination of diplomacy
and deception.
The rest of the world
learned more about
Rusesabagina in the 2004
film “Hotel Rwanda,” which
was nominated for three
Academy Awards.
Related story, page 8
“For our students and
our university community to
have the opportunity to hear
Mr. Rusesabagina, an ‘ordinary man’ with an extraordinary heart, at our annual
Convocation is a blessing
indeed,” MTSU President
Sidney A. McPhee said of the
2 p.m. event at Murphy
Center.
“This ceremony is an
assemblage and a celebration
of who we are as a university
and what we can accomplish
together, and I can think of
few people who epitomize
that spirit of determination—
of one person whose choices
can help change the world—
than this good man. We look
forward to hearing and
learning from him, as well as
each other, in this new academic year.”
The University
Convocation welcomes new
students into the MTSU
learning community. Faculty
march in their regalia to dramatic compositions performed by the MTSU Band
of Blue, and the traditions
and rituals of the university
are explained to the newest
members of the MTSU family.
Rusesabagina’s autobiography, An Ordinary Man, is
MTSU’s 2007 Summer
Reading Selection. The
Summer Reading Program,
created in 2002, aims to provide a unifying experience
for entering freshmen, give
them the opportunity to read
and interact with acclaimed
authors and affirm the
importance of reading for a
successful and fulfilling life.
In the book, Rusesabagina tells the story of his
childhood, retraces his accidental path to heroism,
See ‘Speaker’ page 5
Welcome to Pigskin Pregame aids scholarship fund
new faculty!
from Staff Reports
from Staff Reports
M
ore than 80 new MTSU faculty members will convene
Monday and Tuesday, Aug.
20 and 21, to become more familiar
with their new workplace via seminars and briefings on information
technology, student affairs and library
services.
Events are set to begin each day at
8 a.m. in the Business and Aerospace
Building and will include lunches provided by SunTrust and MidSouth
banks. A full schedule is on page 5.
See ‘Welcome’ page 5
T
his year, the MTSU Rutherford County Alumni
Chapter’s annual Pigskin
Pregame is set for Saturday,
Aug. 25, to kick off the football season, event organizers said.
The event will be held at the
home of Terry and Lisa Haynes, who
live at 1707 Riverview Drive in
Murfreesboro, said Paul Wydra, an
assistant director in the Office of
Alumni Relations.
“I think everyone last year had a
great time,” said Ginger Freeman,
alumni relations director. “More than 300 people were
there last year, and we are hoping even more want to
share in this year’s festivities.”
Tickets for the event, which will run from 7 to 11
IN BRIEF
www.mtsunews.com
GOT JOBS FOR STUDENTS?
CAREER CENTER CAN HELP
Fall semester means students
looking for classes, parking places,
textbooks and on-campus jobs. If
your office has work for students
for the new semester, contact the
MTSU Career and Employment
Center to post those openings. Call
615-898-2500 for more information.
GEAR UP FOR FALL 2007 WITH
‘WEEK OF WELCOME’ EVENTS
MTSU's fall 2007 “Week of
p.m., will be $25 if purchased by Wednesday, Aug. 22, or
$30 at the door, Wydra said. He added that the ticket
price includes an exclusive preview of one of
Murfreesboro’s newest restaurants, Carrabba’s Italian
Grill, along with wine, beer, soft
drinks, music, door prizes and more.
Parking will be available.
Wydra said all proceeds from
Pigskin Pregame would benefit the
Rutherford County Alumni Chapter
Scholarship Fund. The Rutherford
County Alumni Fund awarded
$17,000 in scholarships to incoming
freshman for the 2007-08 school year.
For more information about this
event or to reserve tickets, please call 1-800-533-6878 or
visit www.mtalumni.com. Attendees also can mail payments to the Alumni Relations Office at MTSU Box 104,
Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132.
Welcome” kicks off Aug. 24 and 25
with the annual We-Haul dorm
move-in sessions. See the Campus
Calendar on page 4 for the first
weekend’s events; watch The Record
for the full Week of Welcome schedule, or visit www.mtsu.edu/~nsfp/
welcome.htm for more specifics.
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
MURFREESBORO TN
PERMIT NO. 169
MTSU wins 2 alternative fuel grants from state
from Staff Reports
M
TSU is one of 14 applicants to receive Alternative Fuel Innovations
Grants totaling more than $881,000 statewide, Gov. Phil Bredesen
and Environment and Conservation Commissioner Jim Fyke
announced July 26.
Dr. Cliff Ricketts, agribusiness and agriscience, will receive $79,700 to purchase a Toyota Prius and convert it to a plug-in flex-fuel vehicle to operate on
electricity, solar power, hydrogen and ethanol.
MTSU already is a partner with TVA's Green Power Switch Program,
which enabled the grant to be proposed, Ricketts said. The Prius will go short
distances by adding the Plug-In Component that allows the car to run off electric energy produced by the sun. The gasoline
engine of the Prius will be converted to run on
hydrogen, which will come from water separated
by a solar electrolysis unit already in place at
MTSU.
The vehicle can be used in the MTSU motor
pool after the research phase and can be used as a
demonstration model for other universities, state
agencies and county school systems, Ricketts said.
Through Ricketts and the School of
Agribusiness and Agriscience, MTSU also has partnerships with Bridgestone
Tire, Tractor Supply Company, Valspar Paints and HyPower Fuel.
The university also will receive $97,621 to convert used cooking oil into
biodiesel under the auspices of the Center for Green Energy Management.
The project will allow evaluations of innovative chemical reaction methods
and development of a catalyst to lower production costs while meeting
American Society for Testing and Materials, or ASTM, specifications for
biodiesel.
“This grant program was designed to encourage local governments and
public universities to assess opportunities to increase their use of biofuels and
create projects to take advantage of those opportunities,” said Bredesen. “I’m
pleased to see the variety and innovation represented by these projects as we
continue to expand the use and production of alternative fuels in Tennessee.”
In 2006, Bredesen proposed $4 million in state funding, which was
approved by the General Assembly, for Tennessee’s alternative fuels initiatives.
In February, Bredesen dedicated $1 million of these funds for Alternative Fuel
Innovations Grants to help local governments and public universities increase
the alternative fuel use in their fleets and measure the positive impact on state
air quality, particularly in areas not currently attaining federal air-quality standards.
“The grant awards show both governments and universities are taking
advantage of this opportunity to improve air quality by increasing their use of
alternative fuels,” said Deputy Commissioner Paul Sloan, who represents the
Department of Environment and Conservation on the Governor’s Alternative
Fuels Working Group. “Making cleaner burning fuels more readily available to
fleets, while at the same time providing additional research experiences to universities, is an important step in the right direction.”
Other Alternative Fuel Innovations Grant recipients include:
• two Chattanooga city refueling stations,
which will buy and install a new ethanol fuel tank
and pump to serve Chattanooga’s fleet of 157 flexfuel vehicles and begin a similar operation to
serve the Amnicola Highway Refueling Station;
• the City of Kingsport, which will convert the
city’s 200-plus diesel vehicles to biodiesel and
develop educational materials for the public;
• the City of Oak Ridge, which will convert
the city’s 70-vehicle fleet to biodiesel;
• Cleveland State Community College, which will develop a Biodiesel
Learning Lab and buy equipment to convert food waste products to biodiesel
blends;
• East Tennessee State University, which will install an ethanol storage
tank and dispensing system on campus to convert its 106 flex-fuel vehicles;
• the University of Memphis, which will build a biodiesel production unit
to replace conventional diesel with biodiesel in campus vehicles;
• the University of Tennessee’s Agricultural Experiment Station, College of
Engineering, Facility Services and the university itself, to study ethanol production, demonstrate hydrogen generation/fueling, produce biodiesel from
used cooking oil, build a biodiesel production facility using feedstock and
pump and store the biodiesel.
For more information about alternative fuels in Tennessee, visit
www.biotenn.org.
3 added to
Insurance
Hall of Fame
by Tom Tozer
T
hree insurance professionals,
one of whom holds MTSU’s
Tommy T. Martin Chair of
Insurance, comprise the 2007 slate of
honorees inducted into the Robert E.
Musto Insurance Hall of Fame July
31.
The banquet and ceremony were
held at the Franklin Marriott at Cool
Springs.
Inductee Dr. Kenneth W. Hollman
came to MTSU in 1982 from the
University of Mississippi. He teaches
insurance classes, serves as a mentor
to aspiring insurance professionals
and is a resource person for the
industry.
Hollman is the first and sole
holder of the Martin Chair, the first
endowed chair at MTSU. He has created and maintained one of the most
respected university insurance programs in the nation, awarding more
than 850 scholarships to 420 insurance students since 1983. Hollman
earned his bachelor’s degree in general business at MTSU and received his
master’s in business administration
and doctorate in economics from the
University of Alabama.
The late Edwin W. Craig, a graduate of Vanderbilt University, joined
the National Life & Accident
Insurance Company in Nashville and
later achieved an outstanding sales
page 2 The Record Aug. 13, 2007
DESERVING OF HONOR—The 2007 inductees into the Robert E. Musto Insurance Hall of Fame—from left, Gerald Smith and John
A. “Jack” Spann III (accepting for posthumous inductees Edwin W. Craig and John Spann) and Dr. Kenneth W. Hollman—join John
Major, chair of the selection committee, for a photo after the ceremony.
photo submitted/Ken Robinson Photography
record in Dallas, Texas. He later
returned to Nashville by way of
Atlanta and played a role in the company’s decision to enter broadcasting
in 1925 with the establishment of
WSM Radio. Craig also was instrumental in launching The Grand Ole
Opry. After becoming president of
National Life, he helped direct the
company through tremendous
growth in the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s. Mr.
Craig died in 1969.
The late John Spann started in the
business in 1947 and made a name for
himself when he joined Professional
Insurance Agents of Tennessee in
1951. He was twice honored as PIA
Agent of the Year, serving as the organization’s vice president and president. He served as a spokesman for
the PIA at legislative hearings and
served on both legislative study committees and the governor’s task
forces. Spann was a gifted writer and
speaker, skills that thrust him into
political circles, where he submitted
bills and amendments to the
Legislature. Mr. Spann died in 1985.
In 1997, Robert L. Musto, son of
Robert E. Musto, presented a $10,000
gift to MTSU’s Martin Chair of
Insurance in honor of his father,
which provided the foundation for
the hall of fame. The late Musto
served as vice president of the former
National Life and Accident Insurance
Company. The younger Musto is
regional sales manager of the company his father helped build.
For more information about the
Musto Insurance Hall of Fame, contact Hollman at 615-898-2673.
EXL students can help EYH girls agree: ‘math is fun!’
by Randy Weiler
I
n the early 1990s, Teen Talk Barbie said the phrase,
“Math is hard. Let’s go shopping.” Wikipedia claims one
of the four pre-programmed phrases the toy said was,
“Math class is tough.”
Either way, the organizers behind this fall’s 11th annual
Expanding Your Horizons in Math and Science program
want girls in fifth through eighth grades to know that math
and science can be challenging and interesting, as well as
fun.
“My daughter Emma’s summer science camp was a
highlight of her summer,” Dr. Rebecca Zijlstra, a professor
in mathematical sciences, said. “Still she couldn’t help
noticing on her first day that ‘it was all boys!’
“One of the camp activities was to take apart discarded
appliances and reassemble them into a new and useful
invention. The boys made things like stun-gun deflectors
and robots. The girls made ‘mega-mops’ and lip-gloss dispensers.
“It made me question the progress we have made
since Barbie’s infamous quote ‘Math is hard. Let’s go shopping.’ EYH conferences let young women know that socie- MEETING THE CH
ALLENGE—Chemistr
y professor Dr. Judith
Services counselor La
ty values their mind power and creativity and that we
Iriarte-Gross, left, and
ura Clippard team up
Student Support
with a few plastic pals
need their contributions in the STEM (science, technology, fun, as well as a challenge, in
to show girls that math
the
up
com
and science are
ing
Ex
plo
ring Your Horizons con
EYH organizer Dr. Re
engineering and math) fields.”
becca Zijlstra, mathema
ference. Not pictured
tica
is fellow
l
sci
enc
es.
MTSU students can use experiential learning concepts
ph
oto
by
News and Public Affai
to motivate the middle-school girls about math and scirs
ence during the Oct. 27 EYH, which will be held at various sites around campus.
Laura Clippard, a Student Support Services counselor, drafted an experiogy degrees, but women don’t enter biology career fields as often as men.
ential learning plan where MTSU students can earn one hour of service“The research says girls are taught differently and boys are encouraged
learning credit by becoming an EYH group leader.
(to pursue math and science),” Clippard said. “We want to give (EXL) stuUp to 40 students can register until Sept. 6 for EXL 2010 or 3010, said
dents a chance to be role models. This is something they can put on their
Clippard, the course instructor.
resumés.”
“Students can get hands-on experience and learn about the research
“This course provides an opportunity for college students to assist in the
explaining why girls drop out of math and science,” Clippard said.
planning for a large-scale service learning project and to be present at the
Clippard and colleague Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, the EYH director and
MTSU chemistry professor, said up-to-date statistics indicate low numbers of event to see the impact the program has on the way girls think about math
and science,” said Dr. Jill Austin, management and marketing chair and EXL
women in these career fields.
director. “This is a great example of the type of experiential learning experiClippard said women account for 11 percent of engineers and 20 percent
ences that are part of the EXL Scholars Program.”
of scientists, according to figures released by the foundation named for forVisit the class Web site (www.mtsu.edu/~lclippar) for more information.
mer astronaut Sally Ride. Iriarte-Gross said more women than men earn biol-
Summer enrollment dips
again, slightly, for 2nd year
by Randy Weiler
A
n MTSU Enrollment Services official said the university’s Information Technology Division electronically submitted a headcount of 8,845 students
attending summer classes on Monday, Aug. 6, to the
Tennessee Board of Regents.
Dr. Sherian Huddleston, associate vice provost for
enrollment services, said the submitted total is a 2.7 percent
decrease from the summer of 2006, when 9,080 students
were enrolled. She added that it was a decrease of 251 students.
This marks the second straight year that summer
enrollment has fallen, Huddleston said.
“Historically, summer enrollment increases one year
and decreases the next,” she said, adding that the 2006
enrollment total was 16 less than 2005, when 9,096 students
were in attendance.
On a positive note, the 97 first-time freshmen attending
summer classes is 22 more than the 75 who attended in ’06.
“Some students want to go ahead and begin taking
classes to get started on their academic career,” Huddleston
said.
Also, there is an increase in re-enrollees, with 641
attending this summer compared to 639 students who
attended a year ago.
One significant decrease noted by Huddleston and
other administrators is the 173 new transfers attending this
summer. That’s 59 fewer than the 229 transfers who attended in ’06.
Another decrease, added Huddleston, is in the area of
returning students. There are 7,256 returning students this
summer—173 fewer than 2006 when that total was 7,429.
Tornado siren tests planned
T
ornado siren test dates for the next 12
months have been released by MTSU’s
Department of Campus Safety and
Chief Buddy Peaster.
The tornado siren will be tested on the
second Tuesday or second Wednesday of
alternate months to ensure that the system is
working properly and that the warnings can
be heard campuswide. Tuesday tests will
occur at 12:20 p.m., while the Wednesday
warnings will be heard at 11:15 a.m.
Test dates and times are as follows:
• Tuesday, Aug. 14, 12:20 p.m.
• Wednesday, Sept. 12, 11:15 a.m.
• Tuesday, Oct. 9, 12:20 p.m.
• Wednesday, Nov. 14, 11:15 a.m.
• Tuesday, Dec. 11, 12:20 p.m.
• Wednesday, Jan. 9, 11:15 a.m.
• Tuesday, Feb. 12, 12:20 p.m.
• Wednesday, March 12, 11:15 a.m.
• Tuesday, April 8, 12:20 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 14, 11:15 a.m.
• Tuesday, June 10, 12:20 p.m.
• Wednesday, July 9, 11:15 a.m.
For more information, please contact
Campus Safety at 615-898-2424.
KUC extends hours this fall
from Staff Reports
T
he Keathley University Center will be
open later this fall semester, increasing
its hours effective Friday, Aug. 24, to
better accommodate the MTSU community.
“We hope that this will allow for more
events for student groups and departments
alike,” said Jennifer Kirk, assistant director of
student unions and programming.
The KUC’s new hours will be MondayThursday, 7 a.m.-11 p.m.; Friday and
Saturday, 7 a.m.-8 p.m.; and 4-11 p.m.
Sundays.
The James Union Building will resume its
regular operating hours of 7 a.m.-8 p.m.
weekdays beginning Monday, Aug. 27, when
the fall semester begins.
“For the summer and holiday seasons, the
KUC and JUB close earlier due to lack of
activity,” Kirk explained.
There is a $10-per-hour charge for departments and organizations to use facilities
before and after normal operating hours in
the KUC and JUB. If the activity starts during
regular hours and continues after the building
closes, then the charge is the basic $10 per
hour for a building manager to remain available. If the activity begins before or after regular operating hours, there is a $40 minimum
charge plus $10 per hour after the first four
hours.
Kirk said that requests for KUC or JUB
facility usage should be made at least seven
business days before the event to schedule a
building manager for convenience and safety.
For more information, please visit the
Student Unions Web site at www.mtsu.edu/
~mtunions or contact Kirk at 615-898-2590.
The Record Aug. 13, 2007 page 3
Campus Calendar
Aug. 13-26
TV Schedule
Aug. 20
“Middle Tennessee Record”
Cable Channel 9:
Monday-Sunday—5 p.m.
Visit www.mtsu.edu/~proffice/
MTR.html for airtimes on
12 other cable outlets.
Aug. 20-21
New Faculty Orientation
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., BAS N217,
other BAS South locations
For information, contact:
615-898-5941.
Through Sept. 14
Aug. 23
Order August 2007
Commencement DVDs
$10 each, plus $6.95 shipping,
handling and state sales tax
For information, visit
www.mtsu.edu/~phillips/dvd.htm
or contact: 615-898-2700.
Thursday, Aug. 23
Blue Raider Blast:
Murfreesboro
5:30-7:30 p.m., Public Square
Free and open to the public;
barbecue, $5 per plate
For information, contact:
615-898-2210.
Aug. 14
Aug. 24
Tuesday, Aug. 14
Tornado Siren Test Date
12:20 p.m., campuswide
For information, contact:
615-898-2424.
Aug. 19
Sunday, Aug. 19
“MTSU On the Record—
‘The Sheriff’s Murder Cases’”
Guest: Dr. Jack “Justin” Turner
(encore broadcast)
7 a.m., WMOT 89.5-FM
Podcast available at
www.mtsunews.com
or free subscription at iTunes.
Aug. 24-25
WEEK OF WELCOME
We-Haul Dorm Move-in
All day, freshman halls
For information, contact:
615-898-2454.
Friday, Aug. 24
Annual Fall Faculty Meeting
9:30-11:30 a.m., Tucker Theatre
For information, contact:
615-898-5941.
AROTC Stand-to Swearing-in
Ceremony for New Freshmen
9:30 a.m., Forrest Hall
For information, contact:
615-898-2470.
Friday, Aug. 24
Annual Faculty Luncheon
Noon, James Union Building
For information, contact:
615-898-5941.
WEEK OF WELCOME
Dinner and Music at the Quad
6 p.m., Floyd the Barber Band;
8 p.m., “Ferris Bueller’s Day
Off” outdoor movie
For information, contact:
615-898-2454.
Aug. 25
Saturday, Aug. 25
WEEK OF WELCOME
Information Booths, Dinner
and Street Fair
10 a.m.-6 p.m., information
booths;
6 p.m., dinner and street fair
behind Corlew Hall
For information, contact:
615-898-2454.
Women’s Soccer vs. UAB
exhibition game
7 p.m., Blue Raider Field
For information, contact:
615-898-2450.
Pigskin Pregame
7-11 p.m., 1707 Riverview Drive
(home of Terry and Linda
Haynes)
Tickets: $22 each by Aug. 22;
$30 at the door (includes
dinner and drinks)
Proceeds benefit Rutherford
County Alumni Chapter
Scholarship Fund
For information, visit
www.mtalumni.com
or contact: 615-898-2922.
Aug. 26
Sunday, Aug. 26
"MTSU On the Record—
MIMIC"
Guests: Drs. Andrienne Friedli
and Marion Wells
(encore broadcast)
7 a.m., WMOT 89.5-FM
Podcast available at
www.mtsunews.com
or free subscription at iTunes.
WEEK OF WELCOME
University Convocation
speaker: Paul Rusesabagina
2 p.m., Murphy Center
Free and open to the public
For information, contact:
615-898-2454.
WEEK OF WELCOME
President's Picnic
immediately following
Convocation, Walnut Grove
For information, contact:
615-898-2454.
Taking aim at forensic science
TUNE IN TODAY—Dr. Hugh Berryman
draws a bead on a rack of pork ribs in the
name of forensic science in the August
edition of “Middle Tennessee Record,”
MTSU’s monthly video magazine.
Viewers can learn why and also watch as
the Mass Communication building gets
an upgrade to HDTV, local videogamers
have fun—and take precautions—with
the new Nintendo Wii gaming system,
grad student Alicja Kutyla gets a prestigious fellowship from the Smithsonian
Institution, Sarong Vit-Kory reads her
award-winning essay about an emotional
trip to Cambodia, Campus Safety Chief
Buddy Peaster talks about lessons
learned from the recent tornado drill and
the Southern Girls Rock and Roll Camp
celebrates its fifth year. Watch it weekdays at 5 p.m. on local Cable Channel 9,
or visit www.mtsunews.com anytime to
watch the August show on YouTube.
photo by News and Public Affairs
page 4 The Record Aug. 13, 2007
Speaker
from page 1
revisits the 100 days in which he
was the only thing standing
between his “guests” and a hideous
death, and recounts his subsequent
life as a refugee and activist, working to uphold his vow, “Never
again.”
A recipient of the Presidential
Medal of Freedom and the National
Civil Rights Museum’s 2005
Freedom Award, he now lives in
Brussels, Belgium.
The University Convocation is
free and open to the public. Firstyear students are expected to
attend; their families and members
of the MTSU and Murfreesboro
communities are welcome to participate as well.
Rusesabagina also will sign
copies of the book the night before
Convocation—Saturday, Aug. 25—
beginning at 7 at Linebaugh
Library, located at 105 W. Vine St. in
Murfreesboro. Reservations are $10
each; call 615-893-4131 for more.
Welcome
from page 1
New faculty members also have a
Web site devoted to information that
can help them kick off a successful
semester: www.mtsu.edu/~provost/
newfaculty/ index.htm.
The general Fall Faculty Meeting,
scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 24,
in Tucker Theatre will formally blend
new faculty into the university family
with an itinerary of announcements,
introductions and a “state of the university” address from President
Sidney A. McPhee. The session also
will feature the MTSU Foundation
Awards, which include Outstanding
Teacher Awards, Outstanding
Instructional Technology Awards,
Outstanding Public Service Awards,
Distinguished Research Awards, the
Creative Activity Award, the Career
Achievement Award and Special
Projects Awards.
The annual faculty luncheon will
follow at noon in the James Union
Building.
“New Faculty Orientation gives
us an opportunity to welcome faculty
and give them a sense of what is
important in the MTSU community
and to share with them the resources
available to them,” said Dr. Kaylene
Gebert, executive vice president and
provost. “This is always an exciting
time for us as our new faculty bring
energy, new ideas and expertise that
enhance our teaching, research and
outreach efforts.
“Most importantly, the New
Faculty Orientation underscores that
MTSU is a student-centered institution that truly focuses on a quality
educational experience,” Gebert
noted. “Student-centeredness and
quality are the essential core of our
dynamic university.”
New faculty also are invited to
showcase their knowledge by joining
the Office of News and Public Affairs’
roster of experts with research background, training and experience in
specific areas of interest to the media.
“Today’s Response” is a media tip
sheet that NPA sends out every weekday to more than 170 print and electronic media members, offering
expert commentary on timely news
topics.
Recent “TR” items have quoted
faculty and staff experts on topics
ranging from financial disclosure
Assistant coach to lead men’s tennis team
from MT Media Relations
D
irector of Athletics Chris
Massaro has announced the
hiring of former Blue Raider
All-American David McNamara as
the men’s tennis head coach.
McNamara replaces 20-year veteran Dale Short, who retired at the conclusion of the 2007 season. McNamara
has spent the last five seasons as an
assistant coach at Middle Tennessee,
helping the Blue Raiders to a pair of
NCAA Team Championships appearances as well as assisting in the development of three All-Americans and
national champions—Daniel Klemetz,
Marco Born and Andreas Siljestrom.
“This is my dream job. It is a
huge opportunity for me personally,”
McNamara said. “I’ve seen where the
program has been and the successes
Dale has been able to achieve. I look
forward to continuing those successes
and taking the program to another
level.”
McNamara said Short has been a
huge influence on his life ever since
the young Australian arrived on campus in January 1995.
“Dale has been a coach, a father
figure, a best mate, a mentor and a
boss, and he will
continue to be all of
those, as he will still
be a big part of this
program,”
McNamara said.
“Dale, Buck
Bouldin and Dick
LaLance have built a
program here to be
very proud of, and I
McNamara
hope to continue
that tradition.”
Middle Tennessee has compiled a
66-58 overall dual-match record during his five seasons as an assistant,
including a 49-27 mark the past three
years. The Blue Raiders claimed their
first Sun Belt championship in 2005
and lost in the first round of the
NCAA Team Championships in 2005
and 2006.
The Melbourne, Australia, native
has also been a big part of the program’s individual success in collegiate grand slam tournaments, relying
on his experience as a national champion doubles player.
“David beat out a very competitive field for the position,” Massaro
said. “He has the advantages of being
a great player here at Middle
Tennessee and also a good teacher of
the game. Plus, he had Coach Short’s
unequivocal endorsement, which
meant a lot to me.
“I am confident David is the best
person to build upon the successes we
have already achieved and to move
our program to an even higher level.”
McNamara received his bachelor’s degree in exercise science in 2002
and a master’s in sport management
in 2005. He took a teaching position in
upstate New York before returning in
2006 to Murfreesboro.
New faculty orientation schedule set
Monday, Aug. 21
8-9 a.m.: Refreshments and Booth/Tables Set-Up, BAS
N127 (SunTrust Room)—Information on Photographic
Services, Internet/e-mail forms, parking permits, Human
Resource Services benefits, telecommunications/voice mail.
8 a.m.-4 p.m.: Faculty photos, LRC 239.
9-9:45 a.m.: Meeting with President Sidney McPhee and
selected administrators, BAS S126—Executive Vice President
and Provost Kaylene Gebert, presiding.
9:45-10:15 a.m.: Research and Graduate Education, BAS
S126—Drs. Michael Allen, vice provost for research and dean
of the College of Graduate Studies, and Myra Norman, director of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
10:15-10:30 a.m.: Break.
10:30-11:15 a.m.: “Building a Student and Faculty
Community at MTSU,” BAS S126—Dr. Kevin Smith, president, Faculty Senate.
11:15 a.m.-noon: “The Student Culture at MTSU,” BAS
S126—Drs. Bob Glenn, vice president for student affairs and
vice provost for enrollment and academic services, and Gene
Fitch, assistant VP and dean of student life.
12:15-1:40 p.m.: Lunch.
1:45-2 p.m.: Quick Takes, BAS 126:
• Learning, Teaching & Innovative Technologies
Center—Faye Johnson and Barbara Draude, co-directors.
• Disabled Student Services and American Disabilities
Act—Dr. Watson Harris, director of academic planning and
ADA coordinator.
• Travel Rules and Regulations—Tamala Pincheon, travel coordinator.
• Athletics—Chris Massaro, director of athletics.
2-3:15 p.m.: “Providing A Framework for Learning"
Faculty Workshop, BAS S126—Dr. Carolyn Hopper, learning
strategies coordinator for the University Seminar.
Tuesday, Aug. 21
8-8:30 a.m.: Refreshments and Booth/Tables Set-Up, BAS
N127 (SunTrust Room)—Human Resource Services benefits.
8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.: Faculty photos, LRC 239.
8:30-9:30 a.m.: Breakout sessions by college:
rules for state government officials to
the impact of Rupert Murdoch’s purchase of The Wall Street Journal. (To get
a feel for TR, check out todaysresponse-from-mtsu.blogspot.com.)
To ensure the success of TR—and,
most importantly, to keep MTSU’s
wealth of expertise at the forefront
when local media need commentary—NPA needs to continually
replenish the pool of campus experts.
New faculty members, as well as
those who’ve never volunteered their
expertise before, can visit the NPA
Web site at www.mtsunews.com and
• Session I, “ITD Faculty Services,” BAS S137E
(Computer Lab)—Barbara Draude, director, Academic and
Instructional Technology Services, Information Technology
Division, and assistant professor, School of Nursing; for
College of Liberal Arts and Walker Library.
• Session II, “Master Classroom Support,” BAS S128—
Tim Brown, associate vice president, ITD; for Colleges of
Basic and Applied Sciences and Mass Communication.
• Session III, “Overall Review of Library Resources and
Services,” Walker Library—Sharon Parente, assistant professor, University Library; for Colleges of Business and
Education and Behavioral Science.
9:30-9:45 a.m.: Break.
9:45-10:45 a.m.: Breakout sessions by college:
• "ITD Faculty Services," BAS S137E; Business and
Education and Behavioral Science.
• "Master Classroom Support," BAS S128; Liberal Arts
and Walker Library.
• "Overall Review of Library Resources and Services,”
Walker Library; Basic and Applied and Mass Comm.
10:45-11 a.m.: Break.
11 a.m.-noon: Breakout sessions by college:
• "ITD Faculty Services," BAS S137E; Basic and Applied
and Mass Comm.
• "Master Classroom Support," BAS S128; Business and
Education and Behavioral Science.
• "Overall Review of Library Resources and Services,”
Walker Library; Liberal Arts and Walker Library
12:15- 1:40 p.m.: Lunch.
1:45 p.m.: College Orientation Meetings:
• Basic and Applied Sciences, BAS S128—Dean Tom
Cheatham.
• Business, BAS N219—Dean Jim Burton.
• Education and Behavioral Science, BAS S118—Dean
Gloria Bonner.
• Liberal Arts, BAS S126—Dean John McDaniel.
• Mass Communication, COMM 241—Dean Anantha
Babbili.
• University Library, Walker Library Conference
Room—Dean Don Craig.
click on “Experts List.” The form provided there can be filled out and sent
to NPA. There’s also much more for
everyone, including new faculty, on
the NPA site. Check out “Successful
Events: How NPA Can Help,” which
includes a list of colleges and departments on campus that each NPA staff
member covers. In whatever list your
area appears, that public information
officer is your initial point of contact
for public relations and publicity
needs.
Also on the Web site, check out
the links to “MTSU News Releases,”
the “MT Record” TV program, the
“MTSU On the Record” radio program podcasts and “MTSU Audio
Clips.” They’re just a sample of the
ways MTSU is in the news. For more
information, call Tom Tozer, director
of News and Public Affairs, at 615898-5131 or e-mail him at ttozer@
mtsu.edu.
“The beginning of the fall semester is a busy and exciting time,”
added Gebert. “We encourage all faculty to participate in as many of the
opening meeting and activities as
possible.”
The Record Aug. 13, 2007 page 5
Art professor’s canvas stretches back to 1860s
History comes alive in Civil War-themed mural
by Rometrius North
F
or local artist Erin Anfinson, the
Civil War has become palpable
via paint.
Thanks to the history-themed
mural that she’s been commissioned
to create at The Heritage Center of
Murfreesboro and Rutherford County,
Anfinson is experiencing the war in
ways that bring it to life.
“This experience makes the Civil
War much more tangible than I’ve
experienced before,” said Anfinson,
an assistant professor of art at MTSU.
She is currently creating the work that
will be on display at the center’s main
exhibit gallery as part of a permanent
Civil War exhibit for the City of
Murfreesboro and Rutherford County.
Funded by the Tennessee Civil
War National Heritage Area, the commissioned work will be the background for the entire war exhibit,
noted Melissa Zimmerman, heritage
programming specialist for the Center
for Historic Preservation at MTSU.
“The Civil War and
Reconstruction era is a big part of
Murfreesboro, and that is why this
mural and exhibit are so important to
the city,” Zimmerman said. “The
exhibit will tell more about the social
history of the event, and we hope that
it will better prepare people to go out
and see the Sam Davis Home (in
Smyrna), Oaklands, Bradley Academy
and the Stones River National
Battlefield (in Murfreesboro).”
Although the artist said she has
not yet titled the in-progress mural,
the full exhibit is to be called “The
Time That Changed Everything:
Murfreesboro’s Civil War Era.”
“We feel fortunate to have found
not only a well-respected, nationally
exhibited artist for this mural, but
also someone who is part of the outstanding MTSU faculty,” said
Zimmerman, who added that the idea
for the mural’s design was derived
from old photographs now housed in
MTSU’s Albert Gore Sr. Research
Center.
Anfinson said her main inspiration for the mural is a single photograph that depicts Union troops occupying the downtown square in
Murfreesboro during the Civil War.
“She took different pieces of each
photograph and wove them together
perfectly, (and) she found and incorporated details that most people
would never notice,” said
Zimmerman, referring to Anfinson’s
artistry and skills of observation.
Although it’s not the largest
mural she’s undertaken, Anfinson
said that once completed, the mural—
which is being painted on stretched
canvas—will be 8-by-18-feet in size.
Anfinson said she accepted the
offer to paint the work because “it’s
always a good challenge to take on a
project outside of your regular studio
practice, and working with new content, materials and pushing beyond
your normal scale limitations can
teach you a lot.”
With a completion date of Aug. 17
as her goal, Anfinson said she first
drafted the mural’s design on her
computer, then set about the task of
transferring the idea to canvas.
As for the center’s staff, they
couldn’t be more delighted with the
newest addition to their surroundings.
“It was like it was meant to be
there,” said Zimmerman of the
mural’s locale, “because there is a
huge bay window that is framed by
wooden molding in the room—the
perfect frame for the canvas.”
Anfinson’s mural, however, is just
one intriguing component of the
upcoming Murfreesboro’s Civil War
Era exhibit, which is slated to be completed by late fall, Zimmerman said.
Planned by MTSU graduate students and co-curators Ashley Tate and
Julie Lenger, the exhibit will encompass 15 panels that present information through text and graphics, as
TRACING HISTORY—Assistant art professor Erin Anfinson outlines key parts of her
mural in progress at The Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County in the
photo above. The photo at top is the view of the Union-occupied Public Square in
Murfreesboro during the Civil War that inspired a mural.
photos submitted
well as three interactive exhibits,
Lenger said.
“We hope the exhibit will inspire
visitors to explore the county’s many
historic sites and neighborhoods to
uncover more of the story,” Zimmerman said.
Located at 225 W. College St., the
center is open weekdays from 9 a.m.
to 3 p.m. Admission is always free.
For more information on the center, including current exhibits, visitor’s information on area sites and
cultural events, programming or
tours, please contact the center at 615217-8013.
If they can make it there ...
AT THE TOP—Members of MTSU’s
Educational Talent Search program pause
at the exhibit area of Top of the Rock at
Rockefeller Center during their July 16-20
visit to New York City to take advantage
of cultural opportunities—and to pose for
a fun group photo. METS Coordinator
Debbie Frisby said the 27-member group
attended the Broadway shows “The Lion
King” and “Mamma Mia,” visited the
Statue of Liberty and Ground Zero, toured
NBC Studios, the Natural Science Museum
and Juilliard. They also explored St. Paul’s
Cathedral, SoHo, Chinatown and Little
Italy and performed at the Apollo Theater
in Harlem. METS, which is 100 percent
federally funded at $220,000 annually,
serves more than 600 middle- and highschool students in Coffee, Grundy and
Warren counties to help first-generation
college students receive financial aid and
attend the college of their choice.
photo submitted
page 6 The Record Aug. 13, 2007
Fulbright Scholar
‘builds bridges’ for
Middle East Center
by Gina K. Logue
T
he Middle East Center celebrates the conclusion of its
inaugural year with a bittersweet farewell and plans for
even more enlightening activities in the near future.
Younes Riyani, lecturer and doctoral candidate at
Abdelmalek Essaadi University in Tetouan, Morocco, returned
to his homeland last month. The Fulbright Scholar spent the
past academic year at MTSU working on his doctoral dissertation.
“The concern of my dissertation is to show the affiliation
of American representation of Morocco with French represenSCHOLARLY PURSUITS—Fulbright Scholar Younes Riyani poses with some of the texts that contributed
tation of Morocco,” Riyani said in a pre-departure interview.
to his doctoral dissertation on American impressions of Morocco between 1912 and 1956.
Specifically, Riyani is examining American impressions of
Morocco between 1912 and 1956, the time of Spanish and
photo by J. Intintoli
French colonization. His goal is to reread those texts from
another perspective overlooked by Western scholars, but he
said he does not intend to bash the West for viewing the Arab world through a University’s Center for Global Peace, and Dr. Robert Satloff, executive director
of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, to MTSU this fall in conjuncCaucasian mindset.
tion with conferences on diversity and the Holocaust, respectively. In addition,
“There is a chasm between the political society and the academic society,”
MTSU will co-sponsor an international conference in Tangier next May.
Riyani said. “So the academic society has the spirit to create an equal dialogue
“This year, we’ve been fortunate to have a federal grant, an Undergraduate
between cultures, between civilizations.”
International Studies and Foreign Languages grant offered through the
That viewpoint largely characterizes the purpose of the fledgling Middle
Department of Education, and that’s a matching grant, so that when we put in
East Center.
our proposal, there is a commitment from the university to match the dollars,”
“In a kind of institutional fashion, what you do is build bridges through
your exchanges,” said Dr. Allen Hibbard, English professor and center director. Hibbard said.
The center has established its own brick-and-mortar headquarters with
In one short year, it has seen the approval of an interdisciplinary minor in
phones and a part-time secretary, Chantal Rich, in Room 104 of the Midgett
Middle East studies, an introductory course in the subject, classes in first-year
Arabic and Hebrew and a community outreach program aimed at middle- and Building. Hibbard attributes the center’s rapid growth to leadership and backing from President Sidney A. McPhee, Vice President and Provost Dr. Kaylene
high-school teachers.
Gebert and College of Liberal Arts Dean Dr. John McDaniel, as well as the
In addition, several accomplished scholars were brought to campus,
immediacy of worldwide political issues and the enthusiasm of faculty and
including Riyani’s fellow Fulbright Scholar, Muhammad Masud of Yarmouk
students.
University in Irbid, Jordan, who served as a teaching assistant in elementary
“We’re investing our time and energy into this new program, and that’s
Arabic courses.
contagious,” Hibbard said.
Plans are under way to bring Dr. Abdul Aziz Said, founder of American
Residential Development Program receives $61,000
Builders, industry reps
donate proceeds of
home sale to aid degree
from Staff Reports
A
group of Middle Tennessee
home builders and related
industries’ representatives
presented a check for more than
$61,000 to The Residential Home
Building and Land Development
Program at MTSU July 23.
Regent Homes, led by president
David McGowan, assembled a group
of local home builders, subcontractors
and suppliers to build a home in the
Blackman Farms community in
Murfreesboro.
The home recently sold, and
Regent Homes is donating the profits
to the MTSU RHBLD degree program. The program offers a bachelor
of science degree in Construction
Management Technology that puts an
emphasis on residential land development and residential home building.
“We were very fortunate to have
a lot of great companies help out by
donating materials and resources,”
McGowan said.
Platinum sponsors for the MTSU
house include Regent Homes, HK
Construction/The James Hardie
Company, Beazer Homes and Centex
Homes.
Gold sponsors include Source 1
Cabinets, Centurion Stone, 84
Lumber, The L&L Company, Builders
First Source, B&M Insulation Co. and
Hermitage Lighting Gallery.
Silver sponsors include Moen,
T&T Concrete, Kenco Distributors,
Pinnacle Bank, Whirlpool Corp.,
Sylvan Designs and Dal Tile.
Proceeds from the sale of the
home will help pay for the expenses
of running the program until 2009,
when the Tennessee Board of Regents
will assume funding for the program
if the required number of students is
enrolled.
MTSU’s Residential Home
Building and Land Development
Program is the only one of its kind
offered in the United States.
Regent Homes and Regent
Development are also the builders of
the Traditional Neighborhood Design
communities of Lenox Village in
Nashville and Lenox of Smyrna as
well many other Middle Tennessee
communities.
The Record Aug. 13, 2007 page 7
People Around Campus
For these students, it’s not the years — it’s the mileage
Scholars Academy
participants prepare
for college life with
road-trip projects
by Gina E. Fann
T
he MTSU Scholars Academy
may need to revise its name—
to the Road Scholars Academy.
Its students are incoming freshmen who’ve spent the last month in
introductory classes like speech and
University Studies 1010 to familiarize
themselves with MTSU before the fall
semester’s wild rumpus starts.
They dive into the Summer
Reading Selection and use it to create
a project that culminates in a whirlwind all-night road trip.
Many of the young people have
hardly left their hometowns before,
much less Tennessee. And yet there
they were at the Grand Canyon in
2005, watching the sun rise.
There they were in New Orleans
Aug. 3, unloading donated books to
refurbish the hurricane-desecrated
libraries of Southern University of
New Orleans and Dillard University.
“They amaze me,” Dr. Sharon
Shaw-McEwen, director of MTSU’s
Office of Institutional Diversity and
the instigator of the Academy, said,
watching the 29 students scurrying
from box to stack to desk in Room 106
of the Paul W. Martin Honors
Building to prepare for the trip.
“Our project is always based on
Tom Tozer
Director, News and Public Affairs
Editor: Gina E. Fann
gfann@mtsu.edu
Contributors: Gina K. Logue, John Lynch,
Paula Morton, Lisa L. Rollins, Randy Weiler,
Doug Williams, Seth Alder and Rometrius
North.
Photos: MTSU Photographic Services,
except where noted
ALPHABETICAL OR NUMERICAL?—MTSU Scholars Academy student Candice Black, an incoming freshman psychology major,
helps inventory donated books to deliver to Dillard and Southern Universities of New Orleans to help reopen their libraries.
photo by J. Intintoli
the Summer Reading Selection, and
this year the students decided to create a pictorial journal or paper comparing the situation in Rwanda (from
Paul Rusesabagina’s An Ordinary
Man) to the devastation and carnage
that occurred and is still present in
New Orleans.
“They’ve been preparing by reading the book and watching ‘When the
Levees Broke’ (Spike Lee’s HBO documentary), and they decided one of
the best ways they could help was to
collect books for the university
libraries,” Shaw-McEwen explained.
Students were asked to bring at
least 50 donated books each to contribute to the service project. The final
tally was more than 1,000, handinventoried according to title, author,
ISBN and date and then catalogued
by spreadsheet on one of three laptops on the way down to New
Orleans. SUNO had another 200
boxes of donated books waiting in a
trailer to be inventoried, too, so the
MTSU road scholars whipped those
into spreadsheets as well.
“I’m just excited to see the
changes in New Orleans,” said
Jasmine Malone, a Nashville freshman, as she typed the inventory information into the computer. “I went
down in 2005 and want to see how
they’ve gotten back on their feet.”
The books traveled under the bus
that ferried the scholars eight hours
west to the Crescent City.
“We have no luggage. We never
take luggage,” Shaw-McEwen said of
the Scholars Academy excursions.
“We just take backpacks. We’re just
there long enough to do what we’re
there to do and turn around and
come home.”
Four of the original scholars from
the academy’s first incarnation, the
2005 First-Time Freshmen Summer
Institute, and one 2006 FTF/Scholars
Academy participant joined the
NOLA trip as “senior counselors.”
Rinaud Matthews, sophomore international relations major and the
OID’s full-time volunteer student
assistant, served as the student coordinator for the project.
“We need to compliment our faculty for their support, because they’re
just outstanding in their dedication to
our scholars,” Shaw-McEwen said.
“And Avé Trotter, our executive aide,
implements whatever we come up
with, so quickly and seamlessly and
perfectly.”
As for the 2007 road scholars?
They’re looking forward to a little
sleep before classes start again.
Conferences
Publications
Dr. Abdul Khaliq (mathematical
sciences) was an organizer for a mini
symposium, “Advances on Modeling
in Financial Mathematics,” at the
Sixth International Congress on
Industrial and Applied Mathematics
Conference, held July 16-20 in Zurich,
Switzerland.
Dr. Gore Ervin (biology) is coauthor of a book chapter, “Fetal
Physiology,” that appears in the fifth
edition of Obstetrics: Normal and
Problem Pregnancies, published in June
by Churchill Livingstone.
ences) attended the Fifth
International Bioinformatics
Workshop June 24-26 at Shandong
University, Weihai, China. He also
traveled to Shanghai Jiaotong
University to collaborate with mathematicians as well as give talks.
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page 8 The Record Aug. 13, 2007
Faculty/Staff Update
Elections
Jim Ferguson (jazz studies) was
elected as a national vice president of
the American Federation of Television
and Radio Artists at its national convention in Philadelphia July 19-21.
Dr. Michael Linton (music theory and composition) published an
article on the fate of symphony
orchestras, “And the Band Played
On,” in the July 14 edition of The Wall
Street Journal.
Workshops
Dr. Anhua Lin (mathematical sci-
See yourself in The Record!
E-mail your faculty/staff accomplishments to gfann@mtsu.edu or fax
to 615-898-5714, Attention: The Record,
Faculty/Staff Update. If your department isn’t receiving enough copies of
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mtsu.edu with “Record Circulation” in
the subject line.